Homecoming
by Shiro No Kishidan
Summary: A mysterious bombing in the real world warrants an investigation from the Seireitei. Treachery abounds as Ichigo and the misfits of his investigation team try to find out what's going on.
1. Did Somebody Say Blow Up?

A/N: Long time, no write a chapter…Sorry life's been rough recently. I'm writing a new story that will explain what led up to Re: Winter Wars. By the way this story follows canon until after the Winter Wars. Ichigo has lost his powers but that will soon be remedied.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach…

Chapter 1: Did Somebody Say Blow Up?

* * *

_No way! Dead people can't want to do anything...  
_Rita Mordio, The Ghost Ship, Athelum  
Denying the existence of ghost

_And the adventure known as life goes on.  
_Nothern Shrine Maiden, Southern Cross Island  
Star Driver's Catchphrase

* * *

_15 Minutes left_

Ichigo kicked his shoes on and ran out of the house. He was late and he had to hurry. He, Uryu, Orihime, and Rukia were getting together for their own mini-graduation party. Ichigo was especially excited since this would be the first time he would see Rukia since he had lost his powers. _Where were we meeting? Right, Urahara Shoten! Hat and clogs agreed to clear out for the night._ With that thought he sprinted trying to be on time.

* * *

_14 Minutes left_

Yoriuchi packed her last bag. She and Kisuke were moving back to the Seireitei. _I'll miss this place_. She thought to herself as the two of them moved through the Senkaimon.

* * *

_13 Minutes left_

Soi Fon turned in her resignation form. She was sick of it, sick of it all. _Omaeda's an incompetent idiot, my squad's useless, and the only reputation I have is that of Yoriuchi's pet!_ She was leaving service until she found a way to earn herself more respect.

* * *

_12 Minutes left_

Yumichika Ayasegawa turned in his resignation form. His secret was out. _They all know now. I have a kido-type zanpakuto. Where…Where do I go now?_ He was leaving service until he found a way to be true to his sword.

* * *

_11 Minutes left_

Momo Hinamori sighed. She sluffed through the paperwork well enough but she knew everyone was waiting for her to fall apart. She was the laughingstock of the entire Winter Wars and she knew it. Stabbed twice, both by men who she loved. A failure on the field who had only made it to vice-captain position so she could be manipulated by Aizen. She had to get it together fast before she was thrown out by the Gotei 13.

* * *

_10 Minutes left_

Nanao slammed her desk. _If my captain gives me one more desk job I am going to castrate him._ She then paused in her thought. _That's it! I really will threaten him with castration if he doesn't give me a field mission_. She grinned evilly and waited, knowing that this was the last time she would have to do paperwork ever.

* * *

_9 Minutes left_

Karin Kurosaki kicked the door to the Vizard warehouse open wide and yelled in only the way Kurosakis could, "Who are you, what were you doing with my brother, and…" she looked around the warehouse stunned that a place like this could even exist in Karakura town, "who in the world did you get the building permits to make this place?"

Hiyori looked to Shinji and said something that chilled the blood of everyone in the room, "Shinji, I think I like her."

* * *

_8 Minutes left_

Shuhei Hisagi bowed on all fours before Retsu Unohana.

"Please train me!" he shouted loudly.

The medical captain looked at him completely stunned but responded quickly, " I didn't know you had any interest in medical training Hisagi-fukutaicho."

"I don't." He responded quickly, still on all fours, "but I learned something while I was publishing articles for the newspaper. I know that in battle prowess you are second only to Aizen and Yamamoto-Soutaicho. So please train me!"

"Alright…but I won't go easy on you."

* * *

_7 Minutes left_

Isane Kotetsu heard a loud shout come from Unohana-taicho's office. She ran over quickly but stopped at the door deciding to listen in instead of interrupt.

I learned something while I was publishing articles for the newspaper." She instantly recognized the voice as Hisagi-fukutaicho's, "I know that in battle prowess up are second only to Aizen and Yamamoto-Soutaicho. So please train me!"

His request shocked Isane.

"Alright…but I won't go easy on you."

Her captain's response shocked her more. She flashed back remembering the when Ichigo had defeated her in one blow and opened the office door.

"Train me as well!" she said forcefully before prostrating herself before her captain.

* * *

_6 Minutes left_

Chojiro Sasikibe sat behind his desk absentmindedly stamping papers. He had a lot on his mind. _My parents are trying to get me married, I barely see any action on the field, and I don't have any respect as a vice-captain. Not after that Ryoka incident._ _Beaten down in one punch _he remember bitterly. _I need to get stronger._

* * *

_5 Minutes left_

Ukitake finished his form. The form read: application: 13th division vice-captain, Rukia Kukichi.

* * *

_4 Minutes left_

Uryu landed gracefully in front of the recently abandoned Urahara Shoten. _Finally I got a date from her!_ He clenched his fist. It had taken awhile but he was now dating the most beautiful girl in the world. _I'm dating Orihime Inoue!_ He quickly composed himself, walked over to the now vacant store front and waited. It never hurt to be early.

* * *

_3 Minutes left_

Isshin always loved watching movies with his family and today was no exception. Originally it was to be the four of them together but Karin and Ichigo had bailed on him so it would be just him and Yuzu. The two had decided to rent a movie instead of go out. Isshin whistled happily as he went to warm up the popcorn. Today was shaping up to be a good day.

* * *

_2 Minutes left_

Sado Yasutora better known to most as Chad sent Ichigo a text apologizing that he couldn't make it to today's events. He unfortunately had other things to attend to.

* * *

_1 Minute left_

Ichigo arrived at the Urahara Shoten one minute early. Waiting for him were Uryu and Orihime who chatting quite amicably with each other. He looked around for Rukia until he felt a sharp pain on his head and turned to find one smiling Rukia.

"Hey shorty."

"Shut it strawberry."

The two bickered like this until they reached the door of the now vacant Urahara Shoten.

* * *

_Time's up_

Orihime watched as Ichigo opened the door to the Urahara Shoten and then the whole world turned a soul searing white.

* * *

A/N: MMWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! CLIFFHANGER! Just kidding but seriously I would appreciate some reviews. Questions? Suggestions? Comments? Just let me know!


	2. Aftermath

A/N: Welcome to Chapter 2! I really need to stop doing cliffhangers like that. Anyways, I don't plan on writing every chapter with a countdown formula but I think it worked nicely for the previous chapter. Now to reveal what's going on. Thanks to (Reviewer name removed by fanfiction) for the amazingly detailed review.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.

Chapter 2: Aftermath

* * *

_The only destiny that every person shares.. is death_.  
Neji Hyuuga, Time unknown  
Explaining fate

_When a person dies, he disappears, along with his past, current lifestyle, and his future. Many people die in missions and wars. They die easily and in surprisingly simple ways.  
_Iruka Umino, Time unknown  
Explaining death to Naruto

* * *

Isshin dropped his bowl of popcorn in shock as he felt his son's reiatsu fade from existence. Yuzu looked over at him, a concerned expression on her face.

Isshin quickly snapped back to reality and in his overly goofy voice said quite dramatically, "Yuzu, I forgot that this movie has a sequel! I'll be right back."

With that, he tore out the front door and ran down the street, separating from his body. He shunpoed over to Urahara Shoten and found only a burning husk. The physical bodies of Ichigo and his friends lay, broken and bleeding. What surprised him more was that Ichigo was in full reaper uniform, Zangetsu strapped to his back while Uryu and Orihime lay in Quincy uniforms. Rukia stood nearby visibly shaken by what had happened. Isshin felt an inkling of spiritual pressure behind him and turned seeing out of the corner of his eye a white coat that was unmistakably a haori. He turned to get a better look but the figure was gone. Cursing under his breath, Isshin walked over to Rukia and shook her back into reality.

"Rukia, listen to me."

"Isshin! Wh-wh-why are you wear-" She was cut off.

"No time to explain. First Ichigo's a shinigami again." He pointed to Ichigo's body, "Second don't use konso on Ichigo. If you do he'll lose all of his abilities as a reaper and his powers right now are his greatest advantage."

"What about Orihime and Uryu?" Rukia asked.

"Well either you use Konso on them and hope you can find them or you can take them back to Soul Society the way they are and hope they find some way around encroachment and hollowfication. Third this bombing was a setup. I clearly saw someone with a captain's haori shunpo out of here but I couldn't catch who it was. Tell only Ichigo. If the Gotei 13 catches that you suspect them they'll bury the incident. Lastly, at some point in time have Ichigo go to Kukaku Shiba and have him tell her he's the son of Isshin Shiba. She should be able to explain everything about me to him."

A roar of a Menos Grande was heard in the distance, "Hurry! I'll hold the hollows off. Save Ichigo and the others!"

Isshin shunpoed off, hoping Rukia would take care of things on her end.

* * *

Rukia quickly grabbed Ichigo and shook him until he woke up. After realizing that he was dead, he helped Rukia wake up Uryu and Orihime. Rukia explained everything that Isshin had told her to Ichigo and the group with the small exception of suspect profile. They quickly reached the point of konso vs hollowfication which bothered both of them.

Suddenly Uryu spoke up, "Do it. Konso I mean."

Rukia looked at the two, "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I have no desire to turn into a soul reaper or a hollow so use it."

Orihime quickly followed up, "Where Uryu goes, I go."

Rukia and Ichigo looked at each other and nodded. They both drew their Zanpakutos, Ichigo standing in front of Uryu and Rukia in front and Orihime, and tapped their heads with their blades, stating, "May you pass peacefully from this world to the next."

The couple vanished in a flash of light and left Ichigo and Rukia alone with each other.

The two nodded to each other and Rukia opened a Senkaimon. Ichigo looked back out at Karakura town wistfully one last time and entered the Senkaimon.

* * *

18th seat Tenbaki Hanzo of the Division winched as he walked through the doors to Yamamoto soutaicho's office. He hated being the messenger at times like this.

"State your business 18th seat Hanzo." Genryusai stated in his normal military fashion.

"There has been a bombing in the real world."

"That happens all the time. State your point."

"The bombing killed Ichigo Kurosaki, Uryu Ishida, and Orihime Inoue."

Genryusai's reiatsu flickered dangerously and if one looked close enough you could see the flames leaping off of Genryusai. He immediately started barking out orders.

"I want an emergency captain's and lieutenant's meeting. Also get Rukia Kukichi. I need her at the meeting. Dismissed!"

18th seat Hanzo ran out the door as fast as he could. Yamamoto soutaicho was scary when he ws mad and Hanzo wanted to be nowhere near him.

* * *

A/N: I do own Hanzo although I doubt he'll show up again. Anyways chapter two is done. Tune in next time to find out who exactly the band of misfits I described are.


	3. The Beginning

A/N: Chapter 3! Yeah! Anyway, this chapter marks the beginning of the investigation arc after the bombing mini-arc. Let the meeting begin!

Disclaimer:…after the disclaimer. I don't own Bleach, yo!

Chapter 3: The Beginning

* * *

_I'm a member of the Eleventh Division - the Gotei 13's specialized combat division. It's full of idiots obsessed with putting their lives on the line. Thanks to the style of our Division, there's always been a kind of unwritten rule that all our Zanpakutō have to be direct-combat types. Just having a Kidō-type Zanpakutō is enough to get a guy labeled a coward. I don't want any of my fellows in the Eleventh Division to see this Zanpakutō's ability.  
_Yumichika Ayasegawa, Winter Wars  
Explaining about his zanpakuto

_I'm inadequate in everything.  
_Soi Fon, Ryoka Invasion  
After her defeat at the hands of Yoriuchi Shihion

_Admiration is the emotion furthest from comprehension_.  
Sousuke Aizen, Ryoka Invasion  
Describing Momo

_Listen well! Be gone from here! I don't have time nor the patience to teach a mere infant like you how to breathe.  
_Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto, Ryoka Invasion  
Ordering Nanao Ise after crushing her with Reiatsu

_I mean just what I said. I don't like its shape. Look at it. Doesn't it resemble something that reaps lives?  
_Shuhei Hisagi, Winter Wars  
Explaining his zanpakuto

_Bite! Gonryomaru! Run! Itegumo!  
_Chojiro Sasikibe & Isane Kotetsu, Battle of Sokyoku Hill  
Releasing their zanpakuto before they were defeated by Ichigo

* * *

Nanao had just finished threatening Shunsui with castration on no uncertain terms when a 2ned division messenger flashed in, stating, "Emergency captain's and lieutenants meeting. Soutaichio's orders."

He nodded then disappeared. Shunsui sighed to himself. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

Occurrences like this continued all over Soul Society and the captains all arrived on fairly quick notice which was a surprise to everyone due to certain people, namely Kenpachi and Shunsui, getting lost. Soon eight captains and twelve lieutenants stood together waiting for Soutaicho to say something. After waiting in awkward silence for about five minutes, Jushiro looked at Genryusai and was about to say something but was cut off by the sound of a door creaking open. A bedraggled Rukia Kukichi walked in followed by to the surprise of everyone in the room Ichigo Kurosaki with his soul reaper powers restored to him. Pandemonium broke out as everyone in the room started yelling or talking to each other about Ichigo and his restored powers except for Byakuya who was usually silent and Genryusai who after a couple twitches, slammed his staff on the ground.

"Silence!" Genryusai yelled, "I will have order! Now that our last members have arrived I will begin the meeting. I have gathered you all today because Ichigo was just killed in the real world not more than one hour ago."

Gaspes of surprise were heard but Genryusai continued anyways, "I did not expect to see you here Ichigo nor did I suspect that your powers would be restored but the reason does not matter now. I am placing the Seireitei under martial law until we find the reason for Ichigo's death and the criminal behind it. Is that understood?"

The deafening silence indicated that it was so Genryusai continued, "I want to create an investigation team out of our finest but first I need to make wartime promotions in order to fill the gaps left behind by those who have resigned or who have been killed. Yoriuchi Shihion, I know you're listening. Come in here."

Yoriuchi appeared in the middle of the group with a shunpo flash and stood before the commander.

"I recommend you as the captain of the 2nd division. I need five more recommendations."

Jushiro slipped up his hand followed by Kyoraku, Komamura, Unohana, and to the surprise of everyone in the room, Byakuya.

"Good do the rest of you give your approval?"

Toshiro and Kenpachi both nodded and then the whole room stared at Mayuri for some sort of reaction. After he didn't say anything Genryusai spoke up, "Then, Kurotsuchi taicho that you would like to be a member on her Bankai proficiency test?"

Mayuri quickly changed his mind and responded in a distasteful and nasally voice, "I respectfully decline. Do as you please."

"Then" Genryusai cleared his throat, " Yoriuchi Shihion, seeing as you have the personal recommendation of six captains and approval of three others, will you accept your position as captain of the 2nd division?"

"Yes." She stated solemnly and somewhat gravely.

"Then step forward and receive your haori."

After receiving her haori, Yoriuchi walked over and stood right next to Marechiyo Omaeda waiting for orders.

Genryusai continued, "Is there anyone else that you all believe should be promoted?"

Komamura spoke up first, "I would like to recommend Shuhei Hisagi as captain of the 9th division. He did kill his captain in battle."

Shuhei answered before anyone else could, "I respectfully decline. I only did so with the help of Komamura taicho and Tetsuzaemon fukutaicho."

Shuhei still had a lot on his mind from that battle. _Was the path of least violence truly the right path? After all whenever Kaname showed up violence soon occurred._ _Should I still continue to walk in the path of Tosen?_ To that question he had no answer. He also was certain that his defeat of Tosen was invalid due to the lack of 200 hundred witnesses.

Byakuya spoke up next, "I would like to recommend Abarai fukutaicho as captain of the 3rd division. He has passed my bankai examination."

"T-T-Taicho…" said Renji, stunned although he was cut off before he could continue.

"Mine as well." Said Yoriuchi

Then, much to the surprise of everyone in the room, Mayuri spoke up, "He has passed my test as well." Noticing the strange looks that everyone was giving him, Mayuri continued "Well he lasted against that blasted espada Syazel much longer than Nemu did." He spat, "Hmph, she'll need some more readjustments later."

He quickly started murmuring to himself and Genryusai continued, "Renji Abarai, seeing as you have the approval of three captains in regards to your bankai, will you accept your responsibilities as captain of the 3rd division."

"Y-Yes." He answered somewhat nervously, taken completely by surprise.

"Then step forward and receive your haori."

After Renji received his haori he walked over to Izuru Kira and stood proudly a new captain.

Jushiro spoke up, "I would like to recommend Rukia Kukichi as vice captain of my division due to her exemplary performance at Hueco Mundo, her victory over the 9th espada, and her character."

Rukia let out a small gasp but was cut off by the commander captain, "Rukia Kukichi, do you agree to evaluation that your captain has given you?"

"Yes!" She stated confidently.

"Then come forward and receive your badge."

Rukia walked forward and waited patiently as Genryusai tied the lieutenants badge on her arm. She then walked back and waited beside Ichigo.

"I would like to recommend Ichigo Kurosaki as captain of the 5th." Said Byakuya.

Before anyone else could respond or speak up, Ichigo cut everyone off, "I know I'd would probably pass your tests and become a captain but until this investigation is complete I would like to remain free of service in any division. I also want to train and learn more about kido, especially if I'm to be in charge of the 5th."

"That's a surprisingly mature view of you, Ichigo." Said Yoriuchi teasingly

"Shut it, you…you cat!" Ichigo practically barked which only made Yoriuchi laugh more. After glaring at her, Ichigo took the high route and ignored her.

"Anymore recommendations?" Genryusai asked tiredly. No one responded so he continued, "Then I need volunteers for the investigation team to help. They can't be captains. I need you to run your divisions. However volunteers must be recommended by their captains except you Ichigo. I see you have desire to look and so it has been granted to you. Now any volunteers."

Unohana spoke up, "I would like to recommend both Hisagi fukutaicho and Kotetsu fukutaicho to the team."

"I can agre to your addition of Kotetsu fukutaicho but unless someone can take over the 9th division I cannot accept Hisagi fukutaicho as a member." Said Yamamoto

"I can." Said Komamura, "His division bares no problem. My men know how to behave without me around."

"Fine but you both accept?"

"Yes." They answered simultaneously.

Zaraki gave one of his trademark grins, "Id you can find my former 5th seat, he'd probably be glad to help you."

Yoriuchi spoke on the same vein, "Same can be said for Soi Fon."

Genryusai noted this and the meeting continued, both Momo Hinamori whose division responsibilities would be taken care of by Urahara and Tessai and Nanao Ise were also recommended. Genryusai closed with the final recommendation, "I'd like to have eyes on the team and so Sasikibe-fukutaicho will be joining you as well. Any questions?" He glanced around the room. "No…then investigation members can use this room as their headquarters. Meeting adjourned!"

* * *

A/N: Chapter 3 is done. Read and review, please and thank you! Any questions just let me know.

Next chapter: Investigation Team, Assemble!


End file.
